Television Advertising, the Internet, and Social Media: the End of Truth and Facts
Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart I was a child raised by television. My brother and I were raised by a single mother in the 1950’s and 60’s. I remember our first television. It was nine inches in diameter, and the picture was in black and white. There were only three channels, and the broadcasts ended at midnight, returning at six in the morning. We were a poor family and the “boob tube” was our only source of entertainment. In its beginning, broadcast television was limited and there were many restrictions. All of its programs were “family friendly,” and their content was decided by the time of day their programs were broadcast. Television news broadcasts began in 1948, and were limited to 15 minutes. In 1962, the popularity of Walter Cronkite on CBS extended its early evening broadcast to 30 minutes. Advertising was limited primarily to food products, automobiles, and cigarettes. Forbidden were ads involving alcohol, the medical profession, and services offered by the legal profession. During...